Critical Juncture for Georgia Schools

It's a profession that can literally change and shape the future of our country. With that kind of incentive you'd never guess teachers are actually a scarce commodity in Georgia.

Maybe the state could focus its attention on Lowndes County for a few pointers?

Jennifer Hattaway, Lowndes County Schools Spokesperson, says, "We actually have more teachers applying for positions than we have positions available."

It’s all thanks to an education program at VSU that produced 285 teachers last year alone, but the state is also focusing its efforts on increasing diversity. Education officials here are on top of it.

Philip Gunter, VSU College of Education Dean, says, "We'll be writing some new grants in the near future to try to recruit second-language English speakers to our teacher learning training programs."

Even the education majors are well aware of the advantages from creating a more diverse teacher population.

Cowanna Gilmore, a VSU education major, says, "We need more diversity just for the simple fact that you learn more when you're dealing with different people in different cultures, so I feel that is an important factor that should happen in the school systems."

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